Naruto: If the Roles Had Been Reversed
by Narushep17
Summary: What if... What if the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails sought revenge over recognition? What if someone who cared about him like a brother had to go after him to save him? What would have changed in the Village Hidden in the Leaves? What would be of the Konoha 11?
1. Chapter 1: The Reunion

*Another Story I'm moving here from my Deviantart. Might change a bit here from the original cause I didn't like how it came out on DA. We'll see ;P*

Panting, she ran.

Desperatley trying to reach the light, she ran.

Wanting to find him, she ran.

The pinkette made it to the light, her breath stopping as she saw the pale artist before her.

"You…" She muttered, a scowl coming to her face. The artist had a few cuts on his face and clothing, his face looking above the two to the top of the crater they stood in. A shadow covered her in the bright sunlight, the figures chakra almost entirely visible in the shadows. The girl turned her head upward, her green eyes widening as she saw the figure. "Na…"

"Sakura… good to see you again…"

"… ruto…" Her mouth finishes, her lips still open and her body trembling. She wobbled, her balance leaving her body.

The idiot Naruto Sakura knew from the academy days… the lonely hopeless idiot… Was standing at the top of the basin, a grin on his face. He wore an orange robe with black flames at the tip, the crest of the Uzumaki on his left sleeve. A large black rope circled his waist, almost forming the bottom of the robe into that of a dress bottom. Such a sight would have brought her a laugh, if not in this circumstance.

Naruto flicked his head, his long a spikey blonde hair moving from his face. His eyes were dark, still bright blue as the sky, but darker than the circles that swallowed his eyes.

"Orochimaru told me you and this punk were looking for me." Naruto says, his voice now deeper and more intimidating. He looks around, a chuckle coming from his throat. "Kakashi decide not to join you two? What a shame. Would've enjoyed showing him how strong I got without his help. Maybe rip his mask off just to spite him!" Naruto says laughing, his cackle filling the giant hole he no doubt made.

"SAKURA!" A voice echoes from the hall entrance Sakura had entered from.

"That voice…" Naruto mutters, his eyes partly widening.

"Sakura! I found…" A raven haired man yells in joy, before stopping dead in his tracks. "That… chakra…" He mutters, his face expressionless. The young man's head turns slightly, his body trembling as he did so. His dark brown eyes met Naruto's, the two staring for a moment.

"Long time no see… Sasuke."

2 Years ago…

The sky darkened, the light disappearing from the valley. He could feel nothing in his arms, legs, or his body in general. How he had been able to walk was a shock. He crawled to his knees, able to stand as he exited the river he had found himself a float in.

"Damn it…" He mutters, feeling a pain in his left arm. "He burned my arm with his Chidori…" He mutters, ripping his sleeve to see his arm severely burned. "Crap…" He winces.

His eyes catch something, another body floating just on the edge of the rocky banks. He wobbles slowly, eventually reaching the body.

"Got it as bad as I did huh, Sasuke?" He asks, chuckling slightly to himself. He pulls the Sasuke's unconscious body onto land turning him onto his back. "He's out cold…"

He looked over Sasuke. His headband was in shreds, the Konoha crest cracked right in the middle and the band barely staying together. Sasuke yelled at him during their battle that he was not wearing his headband, calling him a hypocrite for always nagging him when Sasuke and he fought.

"Oh yeah… forgot…" He mutters, putting his hand to his head, feeling the headband still perfectly on place on his head. Suddenly, a rush of pain goes through his body, making him fall on his knees. "God damn it…" He groans, holding the spot on his stomach where the Nine-Tail's seal was forever inked on his chest.

He opened his eyes, to a sight that made a shiver go through his body. His headband had unraveled from his head, landing right over Sasuke's own. The very headband Iruka had given him, now he would never wear it again. He felt a tear come to his eye, the thought of his friends coming flowing through his mind along with what Sasuke yelled as they had battled.

"YOU IDIOT! THINK OF EVERYONE BACK HOME! THEY WANT YOU BACK!"

"HINATA HYUGA IS IN TEARS YOU JACKASS!"

"NEJI IS DEAD BECAUSE HE WANTED TO BRING YOU BACK!"

"YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO BECOME HOKAGE! YOU QUITTER!"

It didn't matter to him anymore. It was something not even Sasuke could understand… a feeling of revenge even deeper than Sasuke's own against Itachi.

"You just didn't understand did you… Sasuke…" He mutters, getting to his feet. He looked over the valley, the feet of the two warriors above them severely damaged. "Hope they don't fall on you before they find ya… be pretty messy…" He mutters, turning to the forest. A single raindrop hits his nose, making him groan softly. "Rain… the sky must be sad…" He mutters to himself, proceeding into the forest.

The sky would never be sadder than he was though. A life without a family, friends, or anyone to call a loved one in general. Even when he stopped Gaara… they all looked down on him. He was so sick of it. Orochimaru was his only chance… to get stronger than even the old fool Jiraya could have made him. He would destroy Konoha, conquer it until he died. People would have choice but to care for him, for they never cared on their own.

"You were the only one who could understand me… that's why I'll stop you. I'll take you back… and you'll see how much people care about you. I lost my brother to darkness… AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF I LOSE YOU!"

He looked back once, Sasuke still unconscious as the rain fell on him.

"I'm sorry… you jerk…" He mutters softly, entering the darkness of the forest.

2 years later…

Naruto chuckles softly as he looked down at Sasuke now. How much he had changed as well. He was now apparently a Jonin, wearing the vest with long dark purple pants that tucked into his sandals. He had grown his hair longer and just a little over half a foot taller than he was 2 years ago.

"Naruto…" Sasuke mutters, clenching his fists.

"In the flesh." Naruto says, holding up his hand. "I'm sorry to cut this reunion short…" A ball of chakra forms in his open palm, swirling until it became the size of a large melon. "But I have to kill you now…" He finishes, leaping and bringing the Rasengan down.


	2. Chapter 2: The Fight In the Valley

"Sakura!" Sasuke yells, rushing and pushing Sakura out of the way. He grabs his wrist and begins to charge a Chidori. 'To quick to charge a strong one… need to atleast counter it!' Sasuke yells in his head as Naruto falls with the Rasengan. "You won't get past this!" Sasuke yells, holding up the Chidori.

Naruto vanishes in the sky, disappearing in a puff of smoke. "Oh yeah?" A voice comes form behind Sasuke. Sasuke turns his head, his eyes widening. "You're easy to fool..." Naruto says, holding a Kunai to Sasuke's back. "Now turn off that little sparkler of yours before things get bloody…" He says, his smiling face turning into a serious and threatening one.

Sasuke stops the chidori, standing and not moving an inch. "Naruto… what happened to you?" He says, feeling his face shaking.

Naruto chuckles, the whiskers on his cheek wrinkling. "I decided to get serious and stop acting like a little kid…"

2 years ago…

Sasuke stood, looking over the river to Naruto. He breathed deeply, having almost used all his chakra in a clash with his Chidori and Naruto's Rasengan.

"What's the matter? The mighty Sasuke Uchiha tired already?" Naruto yells, taunting Sasuke and making his rage heighten.

"Shut up!" Sasuke yells, running forward with his fist thrown back, ready to strike.

He throws the punch, Naruto ducking and countering with a spinning legsweep and knocking Sasuke on his back. Naruto throws his fist back, a battle roar echoing as he prepared to strike.

"PHEONIX FIRE!" Sasuke yells, a ball of fire spitting from his lips and hitting Naruto in the face, making him fly and spin down the river. Sasuke gets to his feet, standing as Naruto stands. "I'm not leaving without you Naruto…" Sasuke mutters.

Naruto wipes some blood from his lip, spitting what was in his mouth out. "To bad…" He says, preparing the shadow clone hand sign. "CAUSE THERES A LOT OF ME TO TAKE BACK!" Multiple clones appear, all with Kunai in hand. "CHARGE!"

"Crap…" Sasuke says through his teeth. He reaches into his pack, pulling a string of Kunai. "Gotta work fast…" He mumbles, fumbling through his pack.

"It's over Sasuke! It's 60 to 1!" Naruto yells, the small Naruto army leaping in the air and coming in for an air assault.

"Not now Naruto!" Sasuke yells, tossing the Kunai on a wire up. It stabs into a row of clones, taking out 6.

Naruto grins as he sees the small amount of clones taken out. He looks down, seeing Sasuke grinning. "What the-?" He looks to the kunai, a paper bomb attached. "CRAP!" Naruto yells, the bomb exploding and engulfing the Shadow Clone army. Naruto's body plummets from the cloud, crashing into the river.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yells, rushing to the spot Naruto fell. Naruto's body surfaces, making Sasuke sigh in relief. He approaches Naruto, who looked at the sky expressionless. Sasuke smiles softly, his hand reached out to Naruto. "You ready to quit you knucklehead? Lets go…" Naruto looks Sasuke in the eyes, a grin coming to his face before disappearing into smoke. "A clone?" Sasuke says in shock.

"GOTCHA!" Naruto's voice yells from below. Naruto crashes from out of the water, grabbing Sasuke's legs and pulling him under.

Sasuke's vision goes blurry under water, barely able to see Naruto holding him by the throat and choking him. He could hear a muffle of "Who's the loser now huh?" which was undoubtedly Naruto. He feels the pressure on his neck disappear, feeling Naruto swim to the surface.

'No…' Sasuke says in his head. 'You're not leaving so easily… Naruto!' Sasuke's eyes shoot open, his Sharingan activating and changing from two tomoa to three, his power tripling.

Naruto stands with his hands on his knees hunched over, gasping for breath. The water behinds him explodes, Sasuke flying in the air with a Chidori ready in his hand.

"I'm taking you back to Konohagakure Naruto! IF IT KILLS ME I WILL!" Sasuke yells, bringing down the Chidori.

A shadow clone appears next to Naruto, charging a Rasengan in his left hand. "Then you're taking me back dead… cause I will destroy Konoha!" Naruto throws the Rasengan charged hand up, clashing in the last second with the Chidori, creating a blinding light.

"How are those eyes of yours Sasuke? Still strong thanks to me?" Naruto taunts, his Kunai still at Sasuke's back. Sasuke looks back, his Sharingan activated. "Ooo, they make you so threatening!" Naruto exclaims. He looks over with his cocky grin to Sakura, who stood on one knee looking at the two. "Hey Sakura, he look at you with those eyes when he has you on your back? HAHA!" Naruto cackles.

Sasuke feels something in him snap, for in a second he felt his rage go all into his right hand as he spun and hit Naruto right in the mouth. In a split second, Naruto is on his back, his eyes wide as Sasuke sat over him, a kunai over his neck with a face that was intent to kill. Naruto sees the kunai tremble in Sasuke's hand, making him grin.

"Scared to kill me Sasuke?" He mocks in a slight chuckle. "Do it. Cause when you do the Kyuubi's going to rip right outta me and destroy Konoha like I wanted to!" He says, the eyes of the Kyuubi meeting Sasuke's Sharingan. "It'll destroy all that's left of your clan's old neighborhood…"

Sasuke punches Naruto with his free hand, the hand with the kunai still shaking. "Shut up! You have no right-!"

"Of course I do…" Naruto says, turning his head slightly to meet Sasuke's eyes again. "You did say I was more of a brother than he was… didn't you?"

Sasuke gets to his feet, his right arm numb and burned from the Chidori/Rasengan clash. He saw Naruto, getting to his feet just where the waterfall met the river of the valley.

"Give up Naruto!" Sasuke yells, breathing deeply. "We can keep clashing our moves until we over exhaust our chakra so much we die. Lets go back!" His yell echoes through the valley.

Naruto looks down, his eyes softening. "You don't understand Sasuke… I cant'!" He yells back, his eyes closed and his fists clenched.

"What?" Sasuke asks, a confused scowl on his face.

"I can't… because that village is not my home." Naruto answers shaking his head, looking down.

"Of course it is you idiot! That's where you're house and-!"

"No! Home isn't where you live! It's where you have a family… a mom… a dad… siblings…" Naruto looks up, his face crinkled and a small bit of tears coming to his eyes. "I've never had that! Never…"

"You got me." Sasuke says, his Sharingan fading. Naruto looks up, a confused look on his face. "My brother… he took everything I ever had in my life. I lost my family too Naruto. And… as weird as it is… I found a new family." He says, the thoughts of Team 7 floating through his head. "Kakashi… the laid back but strict father… Sakura… almost like an annoying little sister…" He looks at Naruto, an image of Itachi before he turned to the darkness overshadowing him. "And you… my brother." He holds up his fist, a smile Naruto had never seen Sasuke show before spread across is face. "And that's why I won't let you go to Orochimaru… because I lost one brother to the darkness… and I'm NOT losing another."

Naruto looks Sasuke in the eyes. He pulls his face away, a scowl coming to his face. "You might've lost everything Sasuke… but I never had anything to lose to begin with. People respected you… loved you. But those people…" Naruo's pupils become that of the Kyuubi's, red chakra circling his body. "Those… VERMIN…" He looks at Sasuke, his body morphining into the Nine-tail's first tailed form. "They hated me for something I couldn't control…" His whiskers become red, his blue eyes becoming a dark orange and his teeth sharpening. "I'll show them a monster… right before I tear them all apart…" He growls, his transformation into the first tailed state complete.

Sasuke stands tall and strong, the wind and power coming from Naruto not making him move from his spot. His eyes fill with tears, remembering how he had felt the same as Naruto did. But it was that it was coming from Naruto of all people that made him cry. The kid who said he was going to prove everyone wrong and become Hokage, who was settling with revenge instead.

"Naruto…" Sasuke whispers, the curse mark on his neck swirling on his neck and spreading. 'Orochimaru wanted me… before he set his snake eyes on you…' Sasuke looks up with his Sharingan fully activated. Naruto charges a red Rasengan, which was being formed with the Nine-Tail's chakra. "YOU FOOL!" Sasuke roars, a Chidori forming instantly in his hands. "You were the only one who could understand me… that's why I'll stop you. I'll take you back… and you'll see how much people care about you. I lost my brother to darkness… AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF I LOSE YOU!"

Sasuke charges with his Chidori, the curse mark making him stronger by the second.

Naruto charges, his Rasengan a large swirl of red and blue. The two's eyes meet before they clash, Sharingan of rage meeting eyes of animalistic hate.

"SASUKEEEEEE!"

"NARUTOOOOO!"

The two roar as their moves collide once more, sending a shockwave through the valley, causing water to shoot in the sky around them. A bright light shines, as the two see each other one last time before they are blinded, and then disappearing into total darkness.

Sasuke looks away, Naruto smiling as he tilts his head.

"So you do remember huh? How I was the one who stood first?" Sasuke closes his eyes, the fury in him making his fist with the kunai over Naruto's throat shake uncontrollably. "They tell you I was dead? That you put a little bit too much in that Chidori? Huh?" Naruto asks.

Tears escape from Sasuke's closed eyes, making Naruto chuckle at the sight.

"What's the matter? Afraid to do the job you big scaredy cat?" Naruto mocks, cackling deeply.

"SHUT UP NARUTO!" A yell pierces Naruto's ears. Naruto turns his head to Sakura, who stood with her fists clutched.

"What? I'm just saying after all this time, he was the real coward!" Naruto yells, making Sakura gasp in shock. "I even had the guts to go and kill Itachi!"

Sasuke's eyes open, his head turning down to Naruto. Naruto looks up with a grin, seeing Sasuke's kunaied shaking hand motionless.

"Do it Sasuke… do it like I did to your big brother..." Naruto says, a wicked smile coming to his face.

Sasuke pulls the Kunai back, his Sharingan activating. "Naruto…" He mutters, bringing the Kunai down as Sakura's scream split the sky.


	3. Chapter 3: Stronger

Sakura stood, her emerald eyes wide in shock.

Sasuke looked over, sitting over Naruto's body on the ground and breathing deeply. His arms dropped dead, the feeling gone as they shook on their own. He stands stepping back so he was right at Naruto's feet, his face white and his eyes beginning to water.

"Sasuke… You…" Sakura says, clasping her hands over her mouth. She falls to her knees, the shock overriding her body.

2 years earlier…

The wind blew in Konoha as the night fell over the village. Green leafs blew down the streets and over buildings, floating on their own paths and following the wind that blew them.

A young man stands at Konoha's gate, looking over the village he had known for so long. Every moment he could remember inside the village's walls running through his head like a movie. He turned, not wanting to look at it a second more before he

changed his mind or cried.

"So… you're leaving…" A voice says softly from behind.

"Sakura. Please go away." The young man says, clenching his fists.

"No I will not Naruto." She says, taking a step forward.

"I'm not turning around Sakura. If I do…"

"If you do you'll what? Not want to look away?" She says, her face crunching to create a face of anger.

"No…"

"Then why? Tell me or I'm not leaving." She says, taking her hand to her Kunai pocket on her right thigh, just in case something were to happen.

"You hate me Sakura. You've hated me since day one. And you have ever since." Naruto says, looking down at the ground as he did.

Sakura takes a step back as shock took her over, her attempting to smile. "Naruto, you know I don't mean it whenever I say I-"

"Yes you do. Don't act like your sorry. I understand. You love Sasuke, and not me." Naruto says, his eyes closing as he took a deep breath to keep his cool. "Sakura, Please go home… get into bed and don't say you saw me tonight. If anyone asks…" He takes a step forward, preparing to walk away. "I just disappeared into the wind."

"Naruto!" Sakura yells, preparing to run after him, before something rushes past her in a flash. She stops, her mouth dropping slightly at the sight.

"P-please… don't g-go…" A meek a trembling voice cries from behind Naruto.

Naruto stands in his place, not budging an inch. "Let me go…" He demands softly, grabbing the arms of the girl hugging him. "… Hinata." He finishes, making Hinata squeeze harder.

"No!" Hinata cries. "Don't leave Naruto! You have to stay and become Hokage like you said you would!" She says, her forehead against his back as tears dripped down her red cheeks. "You can't just give up…" She mumbles, sniffing. "That's your ninja way…"

Naruto holds Hinata's arms around his body, his heart sinking. "Hinata…" Naruto says softly. "Thank you… for caring…" He says, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Hinata stands, her body twitching. "Naruto…" She says with her lips barely parting.

Sakura stands in shock, a tear rolling down her cheek. 'He's…' She says in her head, her body tightening as her eyes squinted with tears forming.

"NARUTO!" Hinata yells at the top of her lungs, falling to her knees and catching herself as she fell over. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" She yells, punching the ground repeatedly.

'Gone...' Sakura echoes in her head. Tears stream down her face as she runs forward, past the crying Hinata. She pulls a kunai from her pack, clenching it hard in her hand. 'I'll find you Naruto… You're not leaving us…'

Sakura held her head as the memory went through her head. She had ran in the forest all night, not finding a trace of Naruto. She returned at daylight, discovering Hinata had already reported to Tsunade and learning Tsunade arranged a team to go after him. Sasuke had been on that team, promising her and everyone else he and the others would bring Naruto back.

And here they were, just over 2 years later… and she had never imagined this is where they would be.

She muffled a cry, Naruto's motionless body lying on the ground with the Kunai in his neck and blood trailing to form a pool of blood. Sasuke stood, looking away from Naruto with his eyes squinted.

"Sakura… I'm sorry…" He says, closing his eyes hard.

Sai stood from where he had layed, having passed out when Sakura had found him. "Is… the Jinchuriki…?" He breathes deeply.

Sakura drops her hands, clenching her fists. "Yes. Naruto Uzumaki… Is…" She mutters, her eyes opening slowly then shooting open at what she saw before her.

Naruto sits up straight. He stumbled as he got to his feet, grabbing the Kunai within his neck and pulling it out, his wound healing quickly. "Got to use more force than that…" He chuckles, rolling his shoulders and popping his neck. "Kyuubi heals me up pretty quick… believe I've legally died 5 times over the last 2 years. He looks up at the three, a sharped tooth grin formed. He reaches into his robe, pulling out a blade that shined as the sun hit it. "Got anything else? Or am I gonna have to do all the work here?"

Sasuke throws his arm back, a preparing to strike. "YOU BASTARD!" He yells, rushing Naruto, who quickly dodges.

"WIND BLADE!" Naruto yells, hitting Sasuke in the back with his sword that was swalled in a ball of wind that knocks Sasuke forward 25 feet. He smirks, twirling the sword in his hand. "Learn some cool tricks when you train non-stop."

"Naruto… please stop…" Sakura says, holding a kunai up.

Naruto turns to Sakura, his smile widening. "Sakura…" He says in a rasp, walking forward, holding his blade at his side. "How you've changed." He says, getting within a few feet from her.

Sakura takes a step back, holding up her kunai. "Don't move or I'll-!"

Naruto scowls, slapping the kunai out of her hand, his eyes not leaving her face. He stood over her, his height now surprising her. "You'll do what Sakura? What until Sasuke gets up to save you?" He says. He grabs he by the throat, holding her above the ground. "Of all the people I wanted to spare…" He mutters, pulling his blade back. "You were the ones I wanted to…" He finishes, before feeling a pain in his left arm. "The hell?"

"Put her down Naruto…" Sasuke mutters, a Kunai in his right hand. "Or I aim for your head…"

Naruto drops Sakura, turning to Sasuke. "And you said I was annoying…" Naruto mutters.

'Last chance… 3 is my limit…' Sasuke sasy in his head, getting to one knee and grabbing his wrist.

"You've gotta be kidding me…" Naruto groans, sheathing his blade and holding his left hand up. "But if you insist…"

'I've got to try… even if we clash…'

'My Rasengan is ten times stronger than it was years ago… I'll be able to blow him to bits…'

'… I'll knock him out… then take him back…' Sasuke closes his eyes, remembering a promise he made.

"Please Sasuke Uchiha… just bring Naruto home… please…"

He made a promise not only to Hinata Hyuga, a girl who loved Naruto, but to himself. He looks to Naruto, who flashed in the light of his charging Rasengan. 'We both have changed so much… we've both gotten stronger. Years ago I would've relished in this chance to fight you… prove I'm better than you…' He says to himself. Sasuke stands, his Chidori fully charged and ready to attack.

Naruto stands, looking over to Sasuke. 'Now we prove who really has gotten stronger…' Naruto thinks, feeling the Rasengan twirling in his hands. 'I've always wanted to prove myself to you Sasuke… prove I can beat you…' He throws his left hand back, a look covering himself of determination. "Come Sasuke… LETS SEE WHO'S GOTTEN STRONGER!" He roars, charging Sasuke.

Sasuke charges himself, holding the Chidori forward. "Lets…" He says.

The wind blew in Konoha as the sun shined over the village. Green leafs blew down the streets and over buildings, floating on their own paths and following the wind that blew them.

A young girl stands on a training field, breathing deeply as sweat rolled down her face. She looks at the training dummy on the pole she had been punching the last few hours.

"If you keep going… you'll only over exhaust yourself…" A young man with long hair says, sitting against a tree with a walking cane at his side. "It won't help you that much in the long run Lady-"

"I know…" The girl says, unzipping her purple jacket and tossing it aside. She rushes the dummy, veins form around her blank lavender eyes. 'I need to keep going… so I can find him…'


	4. Chapter 4: The Meeting

Sasuke sat, looking out the window at the blue sky. He groaned slightly in pain, his right hand in a full cast, broken in his forearm and wrist.

'That clash… that power…' He says in his mind. 'There's no doubt… he actually wanted to-"

A knock comes to the door, making him lazily look with pain filled eyes.

"Sasuke?" A girls voice calls from the other side. "It's me Sakura. Can I come in?"

Sasuke sighs. "Yeah. Come in…"

The door opens with Sakura walking in. She held a basket in her hand, still in her outfit from work.

"You left work just to visit me?" Sasuke chuckles softly.

"Ino said it was ok…" Sakura mutters. Sakura closes the door behind her, removing the Yamanaka flower shop apron and placing it on a chair in the room. She looks to Sasuke, who painfully moves so his feet hung over the hospital bed. "You ok?" Sakura asks worriedly. Sasuke nods, Sakura sighing. "Doctors say how long you'll be here?"

"Tsunade gave me two weeks until it healed fully. She looked at my ribs this morning, she said I might've broke one or two in the impact…" He says, groaning softly. "Hurts to breath deeply…" He groans strongly, grabbing his side.

"Sasuke!" Sakura rushes to his side, helping him lay back on his bed. She pats his forehead as he groaned in pain.

"Thanks… Ugh… I should be good…" He says, reclining back and smiling.

Sakura smiles back, rubbing his forehead softly. "You worry me sometimes you know…" She says with a sly smile.

Sasuke grins cockily, grabbing her wrist. "You know you love caring for me…" he says, pulling her in and connecting his lips with her sweet ones.

Sakura pulls away softly, giggling. "I do…"

"Is he going to be ok?"

"Of course… He just needs time to reflect after seeing his friends again…"

Naruto grunts, his ear twitching. 'Damn snake…' He mutters, having overheard Orochimaru and Kabuto from where they stood a mile away observing him.

He looked over the grassy valley, his chin resting on his interlocked fingers that sat on his knees. Naruto sighed deeply, the memory of his fight with Sasuke two years ago playing like a movie in his head as he shook with anger. He claps his hands together and breaths deeply.

"Sasuke…" He grunts, his fist hitting the ground at his side. He looks to his left shoulder, his robe torn from his battle revealing his scarred arm. "You…"He stands, holding up his hand and charging a giant Rasengan. "YOU'RE NOT STRONGER THAN ME!" He roars, the Kyuubi showing itself in his eyes as he tossed it into the forest, an explosion taking a chunk of the forest out. He sits back down, breathing deeply and slowly.

"He throws one more he'll wipe out what's left Lord Orochimaru…" Kabuto says chuckling as the two looked at the near vacant valley from Naruto's multiple Rasengan strikes.

"Aww let the boy blow off some steam. Better that forest than us…" Orochimaru says in a hiss, looking over the almost empty and destroyed forest. Naruto stands from his spot, turning and walking towards the two with a scowl across his face. "Done?" Orochimaru hisses as Naruto walks to him and Kabuto, huffing and puffing for breath.

"Shut it…" Naruto growls as he pushes past Orochimaru.

"Come now Uzumaki… Surely Sasuke wouldn't have such a temper…" Orochimru hisses with a grin.

Naruto turns, his teeth barred and his eyes red. "Say that again…" Naruto growls. "And I swear I'll… ugh…" Naruto falls to his knees, holding his stomach and moaning in pain. "Freaking…"

Orochimaru cackles, walking and kneeling next to the blonde. "The more angry you get, the more of a hell of a punch the Nine-Tails will give" He hisses, licking his lips. "So I'd learn to keep my anger more in check like I taught you, and that fox'll be your bitch."

Naruto looks up, sweat rolling down his neck and breathing deeply. "Fine… just… take me to the base… I'm tired as hell…"

3 Weeks later…

"Nothing better than fresh air!" Sasuke exclaims, stretching his back as he crossed the bridge of Konoha. He took a deep breath, the scent of flowers from the Yamanaka Flower Shop filling the air with a nice scent. "Maybe I'll visit Sakura at work…" He says to himself, before someone approaches him. "May I help… oh…" He sighs.

"Sasuke Uchiha… I wish to speak with you for a moment." Hinata Hyuga says.

Hinata turned, looking over the bridge at the river, her now normal emotionless expression on her face shining from the reflection of the sun in the water. Her hair was in a bun, a dark purple kimono hiding her body from neck to toe. "I was told you and your team confronted Na-" She stops, her eyes closing shut and her taking a deep breath. "I was told you saw Naruto again…" She says with her eyes still closed.

Sasuke sighs, leaning with his forearms crossed on the bridges railing. "Yes."

"Is he… has he… changed?" Hinata asks, her voice starting to tremble.

Sasuke turned his eye on her, his now gloom look softening into one of sympathy. Over the two years Naruto had left, Hinata had become more distant from the others. Rarely going on a mission with her team, instead staying home and training under Neji's guidance. Neji couldn't teach her much, for he was crippled during the mission to retrieve Naruto. He gave his all to attempt to bring the one who changed him back, using so much chakra it snapped a vertebrae in his upper spine, leaving him at the mercy of a walking cane for the rest of his days.

Hinata slams her wrist on the railing, a single tear escaping her left eye. "Please Sasuke… how much has he changed…?" She said as she shook terribly.

Sasuke sighs, the image of Naruto in the orange and black robe with his blonde hair long and unruly like a beast's. His eyes that were so full of rage and emptiness… a sense of a loss of love.

"He's still his same self…" Sasuke says, giving a slight wince at his lie.

Hinata's eyes shoot open and look to Sasuke, a look of hope now on her face. "Really?" She asks with a hint of shock in her voice.

Sasuke grins, lifting up his thumb in assurance. "He's just being thick headed as usual. We'll get him back in no time."

Hinata shakes her head of the tears on her face, rushing into Sasuke's chest to hug him tightly. "Thank you so much Sasuke!" She exclaims in joy.

'Yeah… I get that more than I need to…' Sasuke sighs in his mind, the thought of the real Naruto smiling at his lie.

"This… this is…" Naruto mutters, looking over the old building.

Orochimaru walks from behind Naruto to his side.

"Yes Naruto… this is where you'll get what you want." Orochimaru hisses, before coughing hard.

"Lord Orochimaru!" Kabuto yells, rushing to Orochimaru's side. "I knew you shouldn't have left your bed. Your body is starting to degrade…"

Orochimaru wheezes, his breath returning to normal. "You make this quick Uzumaki… I need your…"

"Shut up…" Naruto mutters, walking to the steps of the large door.

"I beg your par-?"

"Come on. Wasting your energy talking when we could be finishing this…" Naruto places his hand on the door, breathing deeply. "Its time we finally meet…"

"These halls… too dark…" Naruto mutters to himself. He looks forward, Orochimaru leading infront of he and Kabuto. "How much longer?" Naruto grunts.

"Just a minute…" Orochimaru mutters. "Awh… here we are…"

"The hell?" Naruto mutters, looking above the three at a large symbol of yin and yang.

"This door requires two different Chakra types to open… one of wind and another of earth…" Orochimaru hisses in a groan, looking back at Naruto and Kabuto.

Naruto and Kabuto step forward at both sides of the door, placing their palms against the door.

"RELEASE!"

The yin-yang symbol sinks into the wall, the wall opening at the same time.

"Good to see you useful for something…" Naruto grunts, making Kabuto scowl.

"You little shi-"

"Kabuto!" Orichimaru exclaims in a rasp. "We don't have time!"

Kabuto's eyes squint, giving Naruto a glare as he rushed to Orochimaru's side. Naruto walks through the opening, his eyes widening at the sight before him.

"This… this is…"

A single thing stood in the room, a pedestal with dry blood spread. Slashes spread across the stone walls surrounding the three.

"Your birthplace… where your mother died giving… UGH!" Orochimaru moans, Kabuto unable to support his limp weight.

"Lord Orochi-"

"THERE! YOU'VE SEEN IT! NOW GIVE ME YOUR DAMN BODY UZUMAKI!"

Naruto walks in a trance toward the pedestal in the middle of the room. He touches where the blood was now inked into the stone, his fist clenching and his fingernails scraping on the stone.

"First I want you to do what you said you'd promise you would…"

"I DON'T HAVE TIME TO-!"

Naruto's head turns, the red eye of the Kyuubi shining menacingly.

"Now…" Naruto growls.

Orochimaru moans, looking to Kabuto. "Kabuto… take my blood for the ritual…"

"Man, am I hungry!"

"Come on Choji! Don't hog all of it!"

"Choji! Ino! Calm down!"

Sasuke chuckles sitting next to Sakura who had passed out on the swing where they sat, watching the hot headed blonde Ino and Choji stare down over the bar-b-que that all the genin of their class had put together.

"I always get the last bit of meat!" Choji moans, his eyes deadlocked with Ino.

"I don't want you to make you have a heart attack! Its not good to eat so much beef" Ino yells.

"Don't forget who's name means pig ya-!" Choji barks before Ino tackles him over the bar-b-que.

"Oh my god… someone please kill me now…" Sikamaru moans, rubbing his scarred face.

Sasuke sighs, remembering the first day after the failed mission to bring Naruto back. He had just been able to walk and visited his teammates to check their status. Shikamru had received a large scar on the side of his face, making him resemble his father Shikaku even more than he had. Kiba was slightly injured, though he possibly suffered the most…

"Hey! Hinata! Kiba!" Choji yells in a choke, Ino releasing his throat from her clutches.

"Good evening everyone." Hinata states, bowing.

"Yeah… hey." Kiba mutters, his mouth disappearing behind his high collar.

During the mission to retrieve Naruto, due to the severity of the retrieval, Shino was added to the retrieval group. Kiba and Shino worked together to take on the Sound twins, being an equal match until the end. Kiba and Akamaru had been drained; about to be attacked by the twins in their curse marked state when Shino absorbed them in a giant container of his bugs with a string of paper bombs. In an act of desperation, the twins pulled Shino into the ball of bugs when the bomb went off, taking Shino with them. Kiba had taken the blame, believing it was his fault that his teammate was killed in action, taking an outfit similar to Shino in his honor.

"Good to see you two could make it. That just leaves Team Guy…" Ino says, looking over the whole party.

Choji stands and pops his back, his look going to the meet on the bar-b-que. He leaps to the grill, before he's punched back by Ino. When Sasuke had checked on Choji, who had been in a critical state in the hospital, Ino was all over him. She talked to him as he was in his mini coma to make sure his brain stayed active, it was declared by the others as "adorable" and teased her for her apparent feelings for Choji whenever she acted over protective of him.

"Think they're on a mission." Sasuke says, looking down as Sakura snored silently in his lap.

"Yes. Cousin Neji said the others were…" She mutters, looking back as Neji approached from behind her with his normal painful expression as he walked with his cane forward.

"Glad to be here." He says with a grin.

"Good to see you out of your house Neji!" Sasuke exclaims, raising his drink to the Hyuga.

Neji grins, shrugging his shoulders. "What else you gotta do when you spend 3 days a week in physical therapy? I needed a day out"

"That's something Naruto would make fun-" Shikamaru starts, before catching himself and looking away.

The group goes silent, the whole area around them going silent for what felt like forever.

"Sorry…" Shikamaru mutters, his look of empathy looking up with his scarred left side. "I just thought it was…"

"Its ok Shika…" Ino assures, trying to smile to cheer everyone else up. "So, how about we put some more meet on the grill huh?" She exclaims, Choji jumping in excitement before Ino tosses him a salad bowl.

Sasuke sighs, looking down in his lap where Sakura still slept. He ruffles her hair gently, the thought of Naruto holding her by the throat weeks ago floating in his mind.

'We'll get him Sakura… I promise…' He assures her in his mind, and the others around him.

"Kabuto… do it… now…" Orochimaru wheezes, supporting himself in front of the markings on the ground.

"My lord, are you sure we have to use your chakra? You're almost out of it as it-" Kabuto says, Orochimaru's eyes almost popping out his head in anger.

"Without a body to use as a substitute, more chakra is needed for a simple blood summoning… and you don't have the necessary chakra…" Orochimaru explains, looking to Naruto who stood cross armed looking at the small bit of blood on the ground.

"This is it… what I've wanted to do since the day I found out what I am…" He mutters. He looks to Orochimaru and nods. "I'm ready… do it now…"

"Kabuto!" Orochimaru screams, Kabuto performing the hand signals.

"EDO TENSEI!" Kabuto yells, a large swirl of chakra exploding from the ground.

Naruto looks forward as the figure formed in the chakra, his body trembling the body near reached full formation.

"I finally get a chance…" He mutters softly as the body forms in the smoke.

"Here… make it quick…" Orochimaru mutters, Kabuto catching him before he fell and jumping to the entrance of the large room.

Naruto looks to the figure, his face stern and expressionless.

"Good to meet your acutance… 4th Hokage…" Naruto states, his eyes finally meeting the revived 4th Hokage's.


	5. Chapter 5: A New Plan

"Na… Nar…" The reanimated 4th Hokage mutters, his greyed skin cracked and dry slightly peeling as he spoke.

Naruto's eyes widen, his right leg swinging up and kicking the temple of the 4th Lord, sending him multiple feet to the side.

"Yes, I am Naruto Uzumaki…" Naruto growls, stomping to the 4th and lifting him by his cloak collar. "I'm the child who you sealed the Nine-Tails into!" He head butts the Hokage and then runs him into the wall. "YOU RUINED MY WHOLE LIFE!" He roars, his eyes becoming the Kyuubi's.

"Na… Naruto…" The 4th mutters again, a slight grin coming to his face.

"STOP SAYING MY NAME!" Naruto screams, punching the Hokage again.

The 4th Hokage falls back, barely able to stand as he gets to his knees. He looks up to the raging Jinchuriki, his face slowly turning from a smile to a saddened look.

"Naruto…" He mutters, his face starting to crack and his face starting to peel. "I'm…"

"WHAT ARE YOU-?" Naruto yells, his eyes widening quickly and his face going blank.

"You…" The 4th says, his entire face cracking, a single tear flowing down his cheek. He closes his eyes, his mouth wording "I'm sorry…"

"No… NOT YET!" Naruto yells, rushing to the 4th, before he stops, his body full of rage stopping cold.

The 4th Hokage's skin begins to chip, falling off his face bit by bit, before the whole body falls apart, falling into a giant puff of dust.

Naruto looks over the small pile of dust that was once constructed to be a resurrected 4th Hokage. His eyes soften, his fists clutching.

"Damn you…" Naruto mutters, falling to his knees and breathing hard. "DAMN YOU TO HELL!" Naruto punches the ground, the force creating a hole.

"Well… you had your chance… now its time to…" Orochimaru moans from the entrance of the room, holding himself up with little strength his body could give him. "Give me your…" Orochimaru stopping as Naruto's eyes shot up to meet his.

"Shut up…" Naruto growls, standing. "You didn't give Kabuto enough chakra… Only enough so the bastard would only last a few minutes… YOU SNAKE!" HE yells, puling his blade from inside his jacket. "YOU'RE DEAD!" Naruto yells, grabbing a scroll from within his robe and unrolling it on the ground. "COME TO ME, SOUND FOUR!" He yells, three figures appearing in front of him.

"Yikes, glad I put on some pants before you called us!" Suigetsu, a toothy grin on his face as he appeared in the puff of smoke.

"To much info you freak." Scoffs Karin, adjusting her glasses.

"Hmm." Hummed Juugo, who himself stood firmly with his three other teammates.

"You summon my own men against me…?" Orochimaru hisses, his eyes widening with rage.

"I've had a teleportation seal on them just in case…" Naruto growls, walking in between Suigetsu and Karin to stand in the middle. "We have been planning to betray you at some point snake…" Naruto reaches into his robe and unsheating his blade. "Now you die."

"For the love of…" Orochimaru mutters, looking to Kabuto. "Kabuto."

Kabuto stands, his hands filling with chakra as the light from the torches illuminated a red light through the small room.

"Suigetsu… Juugo." Naruto mutters.

"Right." Suigetsu nods, taking Kubikiribōchō from his back and rushing the enemy medical-nin.

Juugo's face begins to turn black, a grin covering his face as he looks to Orochimaru. "FOR KIMMIMARU!" Juugo roars as he charges, his right hand becoming a club as he approached Orochimaru.

"Damn you Uzumaki…" Orochimaru barely breaths out, biting the tip of his thumb and placing his palm on the ground. "MANDA!" Orochimaru yells, the large purple snake appearing and taking the blow from Juugo's fist. "KABUTO!" Orochimaru yelled, looking to Kabuto who was in deadlock with Suigetsu.

"Working on it!" Kabuto yells back, pushing Suigetsu away and slashing, barely cutting the shark toothed teen.

"Damn!" Suigetsu barks, turning into a puddle and moving back to Naruto.

Juugo falls back, crashing next to Naruto as well.

"You both are pathetic…" Naruto growls, his eyes morphing to a redish color. "Karin." Naruto looks to Karin, who began forming a hand sign.

"Kagura Shingan…" Karin mutters, her looking to Orohimaru and Kabuto. "Kabuto I partly drained. Orocimaru is drained fully."

"Good…" Naruto growls, smiling a sharp toothed grin.

* * *

"Hey. You ok?"

His eyes widen for a split second, his focus returning to the papers in front of him.

"Yeah…" Sasuke mutters, looking to Sakura as the two wrote their report of a recent mission.

Sakura's eyes soften, looking from Sasuke to her report.

"Kakashi sensei returns later in the week." She states, Sasuke nodding.

'He's been so distant the last few days…' Sakura analyzes in her mind. 'Did… what Naruto say to him…?'

"Sakura," Her emerald eyes went right back to Sasuke, his palm rested on her hand and his reassuring grin wide. "Don't worry about me." He said with a light chuckle. "Now lets finish these so Lady Tsunade won't want our heads huh?"

Sakura nodded, kissing Sasuke on the cheek before returning to her work. However… the thought still crept in the back of her mind.

* * *

"What the hell's with Naruto?" Suigetsu grunted as he dodged a piece of rubble that almost hit him.

Karin used Karuga's eye and her eyes widened at Naruto's chakra channels.

"This isn't like when he went through the transformation before…" She muttered.

"DIE!" Naruto growled as he swiped his sword and clashing with Kabuto's chakra scalpel as the two battled on the head of Manda.

"Lord… Orochimaru…" Kabuto muttered, the corner of his eye seeing Orochimaru almost passed out behind him. "Gotta..." He pushes, able to send Naruto back a few feet.

Naruto lands on his feet, his crazed smile now ear to ear as he tossed his sword off the head of the giant snake.

"WHO NEEDS THAT?" Naruto growled as he grabbing his face as it started to crack. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" He cackled as his skin began to peel and the red chakra revealing itself. "I HAVENT FELT A RUSH LIKE THIS SINCE ITACHI!" Naruto roared as he charged Kabuto whos eyes widened in fear.

'We'll finish this another time fox…'

Kabuto throws up a hand sign, disappearing with Orochimru as Naruto swiped his now chakra covered claw at him.

"YOU FREAKING WIMP!" Naruto howled as he ran down Manda's back to the ground.

"Orochimaru left me again…" Manda hisses before he disappears in a puff of smoke.

"WHERE IS HE?" Naruto growled, the red chakra swirling around himself as he looked to Suigetsu, Karin, and Juugo.

"I don't sense him…" Karin mutters, releasing a hand sign.

"Looks like he got away boss…" Suigetsu says with a scoff, before gasping as Naruto grabbed him by the throat.

Naruto chuckles, his grip around Suigetsu's throat who coughed a little blood.

"JUST A LITTLE SQUEEZE…" Naruto chuckled lowely, his skin now mostly returned to normal though his fox like appearance still intact.

"Naruto…"

Naruto looks to his left, Karin with her hand on his shoulder and her face full of worry.

"If you kill him, you'll be down one man for your plans…" Karin says, convincingly enough for Naruto to drop Suigetsu.

"Fine." Naruto grunted, the red chakra around him subsiding as Suigetsu coughed as he rubbed his throat.

Naruto walks to the ashes of the Fourth Hokage, his cold blue eyes squinting.

'Why would you…'

Naruto turns quickly, walking past his three companions and to the entrance of the cavern.

"Lets move." He commands.

Juugo nods, beginning to follow right behind Naruto as Karin helped Suigetsu up.

"I'm fine." Suigetsu grunts, brushing Karin off. "Why don't you go check on your boyfriend?" he chuckled lightly as he proceeded.

Karin looked forward, a shadowy image of Naruto in the light of the hall's torches. Her heart dropped into her stomach and she breathed out deeply.

* * *

"Sasuke…" She said lowly, hiding partly behind a tree as she looked forward into the training ground.

Sasuke stumbled to his feet, looking forward at the kunai filled puppet.

'One more try…' He muttered, reaching into his pack for a kunai. As he held up the kunai, he howled and dropped to his knees as the pain in his shoulder seared. He shook, his eyes watering from the pain slightly.

The image of Naruto standing across from him on the roof of the hospital came to his head. Naruto was always determined to prove something… and he did.

'How…?' Sasuke grunts in his mind, getting to his knees as he looked to the ground. 'Did he always… keep going…?'

He got to one foot, before filling someone help him to his other one.

"You've got to go get looked at."

He looked to the one holding him up, a wince from the pain keeping his eyes widening in his slight shock.

"S-Sakura?" He muttered under his breath, Sakura moving forward with his arm around her shoulder.

"You can't work yourself to death." Sakura said, not facing Sasuke as she helped hm through the training ground's gate. "I believe in you…" She said softly, Sasuke raising a brow at her comment.

"Sakura…" Sasuke muttered, finally making Sakura look to him as a small smile formed on his face. "Thank you…"

Her face turned so red her face practically matched her top. She had stopped dead in her tracks just to think of what he had just said. Never once had Sasuke ever thanked her for anything, or anyone she thought for that matter.

"Come on." Sakura said, continuing to help Sasuke to Konoha. "Lets let Lady Tsunade look at you…"

That had been two years ago. The two had become closer, teaming with another of their friends to go on missions, their bond strengthening. After a few months the two officially started dating, Sakura becoming the envy of all the females of the village as a result.

She breathed in deeply thinking to herself about the whole ordeal. It was like a beautiful dream.

However…

Sakura sat up in her bed, throwing her feet off the side of the bed and walking to her dresser where that photo still sat. Sakura between the both of them as they shared a scowl while Master Kakashi showed a nervous look.

"Why did it have to be like this…?"

* * *

"We'll rest here tonight." Naruto stated sharply, sitting cross legged on the forest floor. "Juugo, find some fire wood. Suigetsu, retrieve water." He commanded, his subordinates nodding as they leaped off to do their job.

"What of me Naru-?" Karin began before Naruto cut her off with his hand on her throat, his face expressionless.

"Never… make me look like a fool… again." Naruto said, his fangs visible as Karin slightly whimpered. Naruto grinned, shuffling his head to the side of her head so his lips were just an inch from her left ear. "Am I clear?"

Karin whined, nodding within Naruto's grip.

"Good…" Naruto hissed, giving her ear a light nibble which made her whimper as it always did. "Now suffer…" He stated in a dead tone as he dropped her to the ground and resumed his seat.

"Freaking tease…" Karin hissed as she sat up, as she rubbed her neck. "Yet again I wouldn't want Suigetsu and Juugo to catch us…" Se added in a blush.

"Please. Sex is the last thing on my mind right now…" Naruto scoffed, making Karin pout slightly.

"Then… what is?" Karin asked, a sense of concern coming to her face.

Naruto grinned and gave a throaty chuckle. He leaned his head back, his gaze settling on the moon.

"Tomorrow we begin our first operation…" He said, the bright moon reflecting in his wild eyes. "We are going to destroy Konoha…"


	6. Chapter 6: How He Had Changed

"So, he is still alive?" The old man sighed, taking his cup and swallowing it with on hit.

"So said Uchiha and Haruno." The fellow elder woman said with a nod.

The old man scratched his chin, before letting out a low sigh.

"And he used the Rasengan… even on a scale the Fourth could barely master…"

"It appears Orochimaru did teach him well…"

The two elder ninja sit in silence, which was rare for them even now in their middle aged years.

The man stands, taking the large scroll from his seat and straps it to his back, beginning to leave the table.

"Where the hell are you heading off to? You said you'd cover your drinks!" The elder woman yelled, her own cheeks slightly red.

"I'm going to do a little research! I'll be back in a day or two!" The old man waved off as he disappeared into the crowded restaurant.

"Ass…" The elder woman muttered, pouring another cup of sake.

* * *

"That be all for you?" The elderly shop keeper asked as he showed the young man before him the total.

"Yeah…" The young blonde said, his eyes not meeting the shopkeepers as he pulled a small bag of coins and dropped them on the table. "Keep the change." The boy said as he took his sack of goods and slung them over his back and quickly exited the shop.

"Hmm." The shopkeeper muttered, his mind asking if he had seen that boys face before.

* * *

"That was too damn close…" Naruto spat as he dropped the bag in front of Suigetsu. "Next time, you get the crap." He muttered as he took his seat in the room he had gotten for himself at the inn.

"Next time I don't get roomed with Juugo while you get the comfy room and Karin gets a room to herself!" Suigetsu spits back with a grin.

Naruto would usually threaten him, but he let Suigetsu have his fun most of the time as long as he wasn't jeopardizing the group.

"Got us all some new clothes, we're less likely to be identified as from the Sound if we change our outfits every now and then." Naruto stated, Suigetsu slightly grunting at his outfit. "Along with tools in case of emergency and food for when we can't risk going on hunts." He took out another pouch from his pocket, shaking it lightly. "We probably have enough money for another night here. After that we're going to head out for Konoha."

"Right…" Suigetsu muttered as he placed his and Juugo's stuff in a separate sack. "I'll go tell big, tall, and crazy."

"Report to the lobby of the inn in two hours." Naruto stated to which Suigetsu quickly waved him off as he exited the room.

Naruto breathed out, disrobing his dirty orange robe and tossing it to the side of the room. He looked to the small mirror that hung on the wall.

He observed himself, chuckling as the image of his youthful look coming to his mind. His hair was longer, now at his shoulders and even more unruly as before. The deep, dark circles around his baby blues made him think of that sand ninja he had clashed with at the chunnin exams. He chuckled again after remembering th load of B.S he had told him about "friendship" and "love".

Naruto grabbed his kunai pack, taking the first one his hand touched and looked it over, making sure it was sharp.

"Well, gotta clean myself up a bit I suppose."

* * *

"Hmm…" The old man hummed, looking down at the circle drawn on the chambers damp stone floor.

'Looks like a resurrection seal…'

He looked to the small stone table in the middle of the room, the memory of what had happened that night stabbing him in the brain.

"Damn it… did he find out?" He muttered to himself.

* * *

"Strike!"

"HIYA!" Hinata Hyuga yelled at the top of her lungs, thrusting her closed palm into a training dummy, which burst into wooden chunks upon impact.

"Good…" Neji Hyuga stated with a grin, before wincing as he got to his feet and limped with cane as support to the Hyuga princess. "At this rate you will be able to take on a A ranked mission by yourself if need be."

"Good…" Hinata breathed out, standing tall. "Thank you again cousin Neji." She said with a bow.

Neji nodded with a smile, before his look shot to a Hyuga servant standing at the training room's door.

"Lady Hyuga, a Miss Haruno is hear to see you." The srvant said with a bow.

"Tell her I will be right there." Hinata stated, the servant exiting the room in haste. "What could Sakura want?" Hinata asked, passing Neji and leaving the room.

* * *

"Damn… where did those two…?" She spat in anger, dropping from her look out tree and brushing off her skirt. "If those ass holes think they're not gonna pay for ditching me…" She muttered before a weird sound rang in her ears… growling.

Her eyes shot open to the sight of the furry behemoth in front of her, its snout black and wet and its eyes showing hunger.

"AHHHH!" She yelled at the top of her lungs and falling back so hard her glasses fell off.

"HEY TEDDY!" She heard, before a loud smack and thud. "You can sleep without your human!"

She opened her eyes, the furry image in front of her of that of someone holding up something to her.

"You dropped these…"

She reached and took the object, which she could feel with her glasses and her eyes adjusted on the fuzzy figure, which settled to be a boy in an orange jacket with spiky blonde hair and a stupid grin on his face.

"Glad I made it here in time huh?" The boy asked, his hands going behind his neck and his grin widening. "The hero always makes it just in the nick of time I always say!"

She giggled. For a guy who single handedly just knocked out a bear the size of 5 men, he wasn't the most bright.

"Well, sorry to rush off but I gotta find my team!" He exclaimed and turned to run off. "Oh, sorry the names Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki!" He said. "And yours?"

Karin blinked quickly, forgetting her own name after looking at his smile for the short time she had.

"Oh, um… Karin." She answered, Naruto nodding.

"Nice to have met you!" He replied with a quick wave before leaping off.

She could practically hear him slap himself in the forehead forgetting about the scroll she had attached to her belt.

* * *

"He's so different now…" Karin muttered.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror, a sigh leaving her.

"And I'm still in love with him…" She said lowly, before she yelped at the chuckling behind her.

"Well did I arrive at the right time or what?" Naruto said, cross armed and with a bag at his feet at her room's door.

Karin blushed lightly as she stood, covered in only a towel. Though he had seen her nude many a time, it was still embarrassing to her.

"Got you some new clothes." Naruto said, picking up the bag and walking to place them at her feet. "You still pissed about the other night?" He asked with a grunt.

"No." Karin answered quickly, turning to face Naruto before her attention goes higher than his face. "You cut your hair…"

Naruto shrugged. His once longer hair was now short and spiky, like it had been when he was just a kid.

"Too much to keep up with you know? Besides most of those damn wanted posters got me having long hair so-"

He was stopped as Karin grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him in for a kiss, her hand gliding from behind the neck to gliding into his blonde locks where she took a handful and pulled which elicited a grunt from her whiskered lover. He growled in the kiss as he pushed her into the wall of the room, making her gasp and pull away.

"Someone a little feisty?" Naruto asked in a low hiss, Karin still with a chunk of his hair in her fist.

"We got the time, fox?" Karin askes, her red eyes already becoming hazy.

Naruto grinned, moving and licking her lightly on the neck which made her squirm in his grasp.

"Told Suigetsu to meet us in two hours…"

"Only two?" Karin asked in a moan, caused by Naruto taking a bite on her traps.

Naruto tore her grip from his head of hair, as well as her other limp hand and pressing her arms by her wrists against the wall.

"Hehe… we'll make them count…" Naruto hissed into her ear before giving her lobe a light nibble.

* * *

"Sakura?" Hinata asked as she exited the compund, a single brow raising that Sakura was in full gear.

"Hinata," Sakura began, approaching the pourch of the compound with her eyes focused. "Theres something I have to tell you…"

* * *

With one last thrust and groan, he finished along with her as she dug her nails deep into his long scarred back as she let out a scream of her own. He fell off her and to her side, his sweat still stuck to her own glossy body.

"Damn… that was good…" Naruto muttered, his head falling back as he had just gained all his breath back.

Karin was always slightly dazed after, usually taking a little longer than her blonde lover to regain herself.

Naruto sat up and got to his feet, grabbing the towel Karin was once wearing to clean himself off and prepared to clothe himself.

"Hey," He looked to her, the once glossy blue eyes that had stared into hers now back to being serious. "Hurry up and get dressed. We need to move out."

And before she knew it the door slid closed behind him as he exited.

Eventually she dressed into her new attire, a black top with netted netted arm bands and long violet covered pants. He had said they needed to change their appearance, so she put her long red hair into a pony tail, admiring the look in the mirror. She didn't recognize herself anymore. Funny, it was like how much she couldn't recognize him anymore…

* * *

"We're going after him."


	7. Chapter 7: The Teams Move Out

"Well then…" The old man sighed, looking at the tree in front of him.

On the tree was the drawing of a young man, with long blonde hair, dark circles around his light blue eyes, and three whisker markings on both cheeks.

His neutral expression turned into a frown, his head lowering.

"I'm so sorry…" He muttered to himself.

The old man lifted his head, looked down his path, and continued.

* * *

"So, you brought everyone Sakura."

Tsunade looked before her at the team assembled before her. After the reports that Naruto Uzumaki had lead a coup against the leader of the Sound, Orochimaru, the powers at be within the Land of Fire had decided his capture had become a major priority.

"The seven of you have been gathered for a very important mission," Tsunade began, meeting each ninja's face. "Bring in the Jinchurikki of the Nine Tailed beast, Naruto Uzumaki."

Two of the ninja's before her cringed, but she continued.

"This goes beyond an S rank mission. This will probably be the most dangerous mission you all have been on so far." She took a deep breath, and continued. "There is a no failure option."

Her attention turns to her aid, Shizune, at her side.

"Shizune." She states, Shizune nodding and beginning to read from the folder.

"Team leaders:," Shizune begins. "Jonins Shikamaru Nara and Sasuke Uchiha will be accompanied by medical nins Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka, Hinata Hyuga, Choji Akamichi, and…" Shizune stops, looking around.

"Shizune?" Tsunade asks with a raised brow.

"We're missing…"

The window slams open, two figures flipping in and nailing a landing.

"Pardon my student's tardiness Lady Tsunade..." The taller figure announces before standing tall to reveal Might Guy. "But we needed to complete our morning warm up of 1,000 laps around Konoha before we arrived."

The boy next to him, Rock Lee, stood tall and nodded.

"Do not apologize for me Guy sensei." Lee said, before quickly bowing before the 5th hokage. "I accept my punish-"

"Lee, please go stand next to your team mates." Tsunade said with her palm on her forehead, the beedle cut young man lining next to the others.

"Now then," Tsunade continued, regaining her composure. "You seven are to leave in one hours time." She finishes, waving the group off.

Sasuke was the first to leave the room, moving quicker then the others and beginning to run down the hall.

"Sasuke!" Sakura called, pushing past Shikamaru to stand in front of the group in the hall. She lowered her head. 'Is he ready?'

* * *

"How long are we gonna keep walking?" Whined a silver haired man as he slugged behind a tall red haired one.

"Konohagakure is just over the next mountain range." Stated the man in the lead, his face focused forward.

The silver haired man moaned at the answer, dropping his head as he continued before pulling out a water bottle and taking a sip. "Whats the plan when we get there?"

The blonde leader made no comment. He only looked to his side, where a red haired girl who was adjusting her glasses walked next to him. She turned her face to meet his cold blues, before she quickly looked away and looked forward. The blonde grinned, his hand sinking into the cloak he wore.

"Fox…" The blonde said emotionless, the slight _shing _to the sound of a sword being drawn following. "DISPERSE!"

In an instant, the four shot to different areas in the bush just as a string of ninja stars hit the spots they had been standing.

"The hell?" A voice of a single ninja grunted in the trees. He pushed his bushy brown hair to the side, looking around. "Damn it. Satsuki and Koromo are on the ground. They'll be spott-"

He coughed, blood leaving his mouth before he could finish his sentence.

"No need to worry about them." A voice called from behind.

The ninja turned behind him to see the blonde leader of the four they had plan to ambush and rob, a grin from ear to ear on his face.

"My guys got them already." The blonde said before he pulled his blade from the rogue's back, he had hit a lung evidently as the man kept coughing as he fell from the tree to the ground.

The ninja lifted his head, there stood the short silver haired and tall red haired men. At their sides laid his fellow teammates.

"You… bastards…" The rogue coughed, two feet waling in front of him. He looked up to meet the blonde's face again, that grin now even more sick.

"They're ninja of the leaf." The blonde hissed and raised his blade over him.

"You're… that fox kid…" The rogue muttered, the fear going through his body unable to leave his blood filled throat.

The blonde's grin twitched, his mouth opening with a full smile showing a set of sharp teeth.

That was the last thing the one ninja of the leaf saw. And Naruto would be damned if he was the last.

* * *

Sakura approached the Leaf's gate. She was early, the group had just went to assemble their bags of supplies before they went off on the mission. Since she had been told first, she had a quick moment to throw some extra supplies into her already filled mission pouches. Her neutral expression softened as she saw to her side Sasuke, sitting on a bench just at the entrance.

'Figured you'd be the first here.' She said mentally, before walking to sit next to her boyfriend. "He-"

"Sakura." Sasuke said, his eyes not meeting hers as he lifted his head. "I can trust you, right?" He asked, which made her eyebrows raise in shock.

"Of course." She said, placing a hand on his shoulder gently.

"Then…" Sasuke said, before trailing off.

He was shaking, she could feel it.

"If… if we get in a situation where it's necessary for Naruto to be…." He stopped, slightly cursing under his breath before he continued. "Killed." This is where he met her eyes.

His eyes were gentle to her. Always dark a mysterious; it was one of the things she loved about him, his eyes so dark and calm. His eyes were now just… dark.

"Promise me, you won't stop me. If someone has to." He said, his hand taking hers on his shoulder and holding it close. "Please."

* * *

"Huh, they had a map on them." Muttered Suigetsu, tossing the worthless sack to the side of the fallen Leaf nin as he opened and skimmed it.

Juugo tossed a majority of the goods into a single sack and tossed it over his back.

"All goods have been packed Lord Naruto." The tall man said to their leader who sat against a tree.

"Good." Naruto muttered, as he looked to Karin who sat cleaning her glasses. "Your sensory abilities are of good use. Better than I would've figured." He said as he stood.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Suigetsu yelled, curling the map in his hands and looking to Naruto. "You knew we've been walking in circles for hours?!" He yelled pointing to Naruto, who grinned with a shrug.

"We needed the exercise. So stop your whining." Naruto grunted back, looking off into the forest.

'And besides…' Naruto muttered in his head. 'Don't want us coming to be a surprise.' He smiled to himself as one leaf ninja ran farther and farther into the woods.

* * *

The old man took a sigh of relief.

'Finally, a bath house.' He said inside his mind with a grin. 'Kick back, drink, and research.' He chuckled outwardly and rubbed his neck.

"Now-"

'Wait,' He analyzed, hearing a noise from the man's bath. 'That's-'

"You understand what to do when Karin enters right?" He heard from a fellow with blonde hair, whose back was turned.

A fellow with silver hair across from him nodded in reply. His breath hitched.

'It can't be…'

"EEEK! PEEPER!"

The old man turned, his face flooding red at a girl covering herself in a towel, her red hair free and her glasses shaking on her nose from her rage.

"Shit!" The old man yelled as he ran, turning and running around the corner, jumping into the forest beside the bath house to hide.

The red haired girl ran from around the corner, her eyes full of rage looking for him.

"Damn peeper…" She muttered, spitting on the ground.

"Damn Karin…" Muttered the young man with silver hair who walked around, a pair of shorts that he was finishing buttoning around his waist and a purple top covering his torso. "Me and the boss were talking."

"Well I saw this old perv trying to peep!" Karin yelled back at the slightly blushing young man. "So I chased him off."

"Crimeny." The young man muttered and began to walk back around the corner.

"Suigetsu." Karin said lowly, looking to the ground as she spoke. "Is… Naruto sure about this plan?"

'So it was… wait, plan?'

"Yes. We're going over the start of it." Suigetsu stated and turned back around. "Hurry with your bath, he's going to want to talk to you." He finished, disappearing from the Old Man's view around the corner.

Karin sighed and then herself, disappeared around the corner.

'Plan… what could Naruto be planning?'

* * *

Sasuke looked over the group and looked to Shikamaru.

"We ready to head out?" Sasuke asked, the scarred Nara responding with a nod.

"Alright folks, Operation: Kyuubi retreaval is about to commence." Shikamaru stated, bending down and placing a scroll on the ground. "Hinata, you will take the lead due to your sensory abilities with the byakugan. Choji as our heavy," Shikamru stopped himself for a moment. "Will use his strength as guard behind her." And sighed lightly that the comment didn't offend his friend.

"Sakura and Ino will stay in the back with Lee, who will be able to quickly handle any enemies in case of a surprise from the back." Sasuke added, his eyes met with Sakura then quickly looked away.

"And I and Sasuke will stay in the middle, as we are the most balanced and highest rank will be able to provide support from both sides." Shikamaru finished, rolling up the scroll and placing it in his sack. "Everyone ready?"

Everyone nodded except for Hinata, who stood forward from the group.

"And when we find him?" She asked, Shikamaru grinning.

"Glad you asked." Shikamaru said. "We will retain him with a plan we will discuss at a later date. Anymore questions?" He asked again, no one replying. "Good. So lets move out."

* * *

"Alright." Naruto stated, finishing the not that tied his blade to his belt. "Everyone ready?" He asked to the rest of Fox, all three nodding. "Good. Now on, to the Village Hidden in the Leaves."


	8. Chapter 8: A Night of Rest and Rage

*I apologize for this being SO late. I just got finished with school and moving. I shall be updating more frequently so you all enjoy the new chapter! PS: I think I'm gonna include a sneak peak at the next chapter from now on at the end to build suspense. Depending on how you all react to this one.*

How she had envied that boy. The boy who himself had once jumped between her and death, just to prove a point.

"Until I become Hokage…"

How he smiled at death, like the Kage before her had…

"I REFUSE TO DIE."

She dropped her glass of sake so she didn't break it as her fist clenched with all her strength. Even though it hurt her that he had left, she never cried over that boy. She felt that if she did, she had totally lost hope that he would return.

It did not help, however, seeing the pain in others over Naruto Uzumaki going rogue. Her apprentice, Sakura Haruno had come to her the evening that the retreval team had returned, almost begging for the Sennin to teach her. In the pinkettes eyes she had seen the look of determination that she had had herself when she was her age. She understood what it was like to lose a teammate.

"Lady Hokage!" The voice of Shizune shouted into the room following the sound of the door swinging open.

Tsunade turned from her view of the village to her assistant's worried face.

"Shizune?"

"We have an urgent problem."

* * *

"We'll camp here for the night." Shikamaru Nara said as he dropped his backpack and sat against a large boulder, beginning to remove a splinter from his right hand.

"Sakura and Ino check everyone's status. We need everyone healthy 24/7." Sasuke Uchiha stated as he dropped his backpack as well and looked over the group. "Choji, after you are checked go off for firewood. Lee, you get first watch."

"Sir!" Rock Lee said saluting before jumping up into a tree and looking out into the forest.

"We'll switch out every two hours." Sasuke added as he took a seat.

* * *

Sakura and Ino set up a tent and began looking over the rest of the group, Ino looking over Choji who rolled his eyes to every comment she made about how he shouldn't be eating during a physical. Sakura looked over Hinata, who had been silent since the group had left the village.

"How are you Sakura?" Hinata asked over her shoulder as Sakura checked her heat beat from her back.

"Couldn't be better." Sakura said, attempting a smile as she wrote a small note after removing her stethoscope from Hinata's bare back.

Silence came between the two as Sakura checked Hinata from top to bottom.

"Well, you look good. Be sure to stay rested so you don't get exhausted tomorr-"

"How do you feel about Naruto?"

Sakura stopped, her eyes having widened and the words coming from her mouth freezing on her tongue. Hinata blushed and scratched the back of her neck with a nervous look.

"I apologize Sakura… I shouldn't have… I mean…" Hinata began and mumbled uncontrollably. "Its just he was your teammate and while Sasuke has shown he wants to bring Naruto back no matter the cost I just have wondered…"

"I…" Sakura began, turning away from Hinata and thinking as she removed her gloves. "I mean, I'm not offended by the question." Sakura turned back to face Hinata as she crossed her arms and looked down. "Naruto and I weren't really friends I guess. I mean teammates yes, but… I never saw him as more than that. Like that little brother who wanted to be bigger…"

"He cared about you." Hinata said, playing with her fingers as she lowered her head. "A lot."

Sakura bit her lower lip. It was no shock how Hinata felt about Naruto. Everyone except the knucklehead himself had seen how she felt toward him since the days of the academy. Though for years, Naruto himself had chased after Sakura. It had always confused Sakura why Naruto had wanted her of all people, the one who showed more than anyone of how she felt about the blonde idiot.

"I suppose the jokes on me, huh?"

Hinata lifted her head, her eyebrows curled with a confused look to Sakura.

"He wasn't that bad." Sakura said with a light smile.

* * *

"Naruto?"

He looked over his shoulder to his voice being said, his legs crossed right at the edge of the small creek Fox had camped beside for the night.

"Karin?" He replied with a grin, the red head squinting her eyes and walking toward him.

"Why aren't you sleeping? You said we have to leave at dawn…" Karin said as she sat right beside her leader.

"I couldn't." Naruto grunted as he looked down at the water. "The fox doesn't let me sleep when he doesn't want me too."

Karin lowered her head. She knows he was prone to nightmares. There where many nights they had spent together where he would shake violently in his sleep, mumbling words with his teeth barred as his muscles tensed. No matter how many times she tried to hug him or cuddle up to him would it work, her always being pushed back and even one night getting pushed off the bed.

"You know you could sleep with me…" Karin said lowly, Naruto shrugging and moving his look to the moon.

"Do you love me?" Naruto asked, his face emotionless has he continued to glare at the moon.

"Of course I do." Karin said with a slight smile, moving a hand to hold his bicep. "You're my fox boy…"

"Don't call me that." Naruto grunted, Kushina removing her hand and placing it in her lap. "They used to call me that…"

"You said the villagers never told you-"

"They called me it behind their back. My name did not exist to them." Naruto said with his nose wrinkled. "Naruto… it represented nothing but disappointment to them. But now look at me."

Karin looked up to Naruto who smiled at his own reflection in the creek.

"What do you want your name to represent…?" Karin asked, though she had known the answer.

She knew everything he felt in his heart.

"Dispair."

* * *

"Here."

Sasuke looked up, giving a small smile to Sakura and sat down the Kunai he was sharpening.

"Thanks, I'm famished." Sasuke said as he took the bowl of rice Sakura had prepared for him as he had took watch. "You should get to sleep, we have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow. From what Shikamaru and me have found, we could reach one of Orochimaru's hideouts by noon." He continued with a mouth full of rice.

Sakura sat beside Sasuke her eyes trailing off as he spoke.

"We're getting close…" Sasuke muttered as he held the now empty bowl.

"Sasuke, about what you said at the gate…"

"I'm sorry. I was just stressed… I mean I still am and…"

Sakura silenced him by kissing his cheek. The instant cure for a closed mouth Uchiha.

* * *

2 Years earlier...

When she had opened the door, she couldn't believe it.

"Don't you see Sakura? Granny fixed him up!"Chuckled the blonde beside her.

She wanted to thank this granny person. But she didn't care right then. All that mattered was he was ok. His eyes open for the first time in over a week.

"Sasuke!" She cried as she ran to where the Uchiha boy had sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

She wanted to thank Naruto for having had saved him. But she didn't care right then. She put all the power she could in hugging him instead.

* * *

"So, how is the puppet boy's replacement doing you?"

"He's a total pain… hmm…"

"You've got shit problems compared to mine!"

"It is not his fault you allowed your arm to be lost to the Jinnchuriki…"

"Silence. We have a pressing matter to speak of."

"Uchiha has brought us some very interesting information…"

* * *

NEXT TIME: Naruto's plan moves into action as the retrieval team move closer to their goal. With the two groups paths get closer and closer will their be a collision? Also the one searching for Naruto continues his search as he runs into an old foe! And Konoha learns of the coming threat.

NEXT CHAPTER: The Encounter of Old Friends


End file.
